Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini watched hat-trick hero Carlos Tevez destroy Blackburn at Eastlands on Monday - then admitted he tried to buy him two years ago. Tevez's three-timer, his first since scoring four against Rovers for Manchester United in a Carling Cup tie 13 months ago, took his tally for the season to 15 - one more than Wayne Rooney has managed.
And, after watching from afar, Mancini is thanking his lucky stars he now has the chance to work with the Argentina ace.
"I don't know the whole story," said Mancini of Tevez's move controversial move from the red to the blue half of the city.
"But when I was in Italy and watched him on TV I thought Carlos was a good player.
"I wanted him to come to Inter. I asked about him. But of course, there was no chance because he was at United.
"To score three goals, three very good goals, for us is very special but everyone knows how good he is."
Tevez's tally is more remarkable because he missed most of pre-season after sustaining a foot injury, and flies in the face of Alex Ferguson's claim that the former West Ham star's goals return is not that impressive.
He is certainly relishing his place in a big-man, little-man strikeforce that has seen Benjani Mwaruwari installed as the main man after almost a year of being ignored by former boss Mark Hughes.
Despite speculation that City are trying to rush Emmanuel Adebayor back from Togo, Benjani's contribution of three assists as the Blues claimed a place in the top four suggests the Zimbabwean will keep his place at Everton on Saturday.
Indeed, Mancini confirmed that when Adebayor does eventually land back in England after three days of official mourning in his homeland for the victims of the horrific gun attack at the African Nations Cup in Angola, he will have a long chat before deciding whether the former Arsenal forward is ready to play.
"I am very sorry for him," said Mancini. "I will just wait for him. When he comes back I will speak with him and let him decide when he wants to play. That will be okay with me."
At least Adebayor knows his team-mates are doing well in his absence.
Four straight wins under Mancini have taken City into the FA Cup fourth round and, far more importantly, into a top-four spot, which would be enough to secure a place in the Champions League qualifying round.
Yet, as they currently sit just seven points adrift of leaders Chelsea after a 4-1 victory in which Tevez's hat-trick had to share equal billing with a sensational Micah Richards goal, Mancini could be forgiven for looking much higher.
The Italian though, is keeping his sights low.
"I would be happy if the Premier League finished now," he said. "We still have to improve. And for that, we need five or six of our best players back."